Control valve for lubricating apparatus



Aug. 23, 1955 H. T. DINKELKAMP .CONTROL VALVE FOR LUBRICATING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 21, 1950 Aww.

Illllllllm' I Tui gli United States Patent O CONTROL VALVE FOR LUBRICATING APPARATUS Henry T. Dinkelkamp, Chicago, lll., assigner to Stewart- Warner Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Virginia Application December 21, 1950, Serial No. 201,911

2 Claims. (Cl. 251-64) This invention relates to a control valve which is particularly useful in connection with lubricating apparatus.

An object of the invention is to providera novel control valve for delivering a single charge or shot of a uid lubricant in response to each operation of the valve.

A further object is to provide such a control valve having means for adjusting the quantity of lubricant supplied in each charge.

A further object is to provide such a control valve which is adjustable for supplying a continuous ow of lubricant rather than a single charge.

A further object is to provide a control valve which will give dependable service over a long, useful life.

A still further object is to provide a control valve which is particularly rugged, simple and economical.

Further objects, advantages, and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description of an illustrative embodiment of the invention, taken in connection with the drawing in which:

Fig. l is a central side sectional view of the embodiment; and

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional View similar to Fig. l illustrating changes in the positions of some of the operating parts.

The illustrative control valve has a body member including a downwardly projecting handle or grip 12. A litting 14 provides an inlet conduit for receiving lubricant under pressure. The tting is threaded into a bushing 16 which is threaded into a bore 18 extending upwardly from the bottom of the handle 12.

The fitting 14 has an inlet bore 20 which communicates through a number of radial passages 22 with a bore 24 in the bushing 16.` Three external annular ridges 26, 28 and 30 on the tting 14 above the radial passages 22 provide means for ltering the lubricant which enters the control valve. The ridges 26, 28 and 30 progressively lit the bore 24 more closely. The diameters of the ridges may be about thirty-five, twenty-tive and fifteen thousandths of an inch less, respectively, than the diameter of the bore 24, for example. For purposes of illustration the clearances are greatly exaggerated in the drawing.

A fourth ridge 32 at the top of the tting 14 has a close sliding lit with the bore 24. This ridge acts as a scraper to remove accumulated foreign particles when the fitting 14 is withdrawn from the bushing 16. Lubricant passes around the ridge 32 into the upper end of the bore 24 through radial passages 34 and an axial passage 36 in the fitting 14.

The upper end of the bore 24 communicates with the lower end of a bore passageway 38 which houses a valve spring 40 compressed between the lower end of the bore 3S and a ball carrier 42. The ball carrier 42 may be square or polygonal to permit free passage of the lubricant between the carrier and the bore 38.

A valve stopper in the form of a ball 44 is carried on 2,71 6 ,014 Patented Aug. 23, 1955 the upper surface of the ball carrier 42. The valve ball 44 is urged upwardly by the spring 40 toward a bushing 46 having a downwardly facing valve seat 48. The titting 14 and the bushing 16 are suitably packed to prevent leakage of lubricant.

The lower end of a tlow control plunger or thrust member 49 extends downwardly through a bore or passageway 50 in the valve body and into the bushing 46 above the ball 44. The plunger has a ilat surface 52 to permit lubricant to flow through the bushing 46 around the lower end of the plunger. There may be slight clearance between the ball 44 and the lower end of the plunger 49 to insure accurate seating of the ball.

A coil spring 54 positioned in the bore 50 is compressed between the upper surface of the bushing 46v and the lower end of an annular abutment 56 on the plunger having a diameter greater than the lower portion of the plunger. Upward movement of the plunger 49 is limited by engagement of the upper end of the abutment 56 with a washer 58 retained in a bore 60 by means of a suitably packed bushing 62 threaded into the bore 60. The upper end of the plunger 49 extends upwardly through the bushing 62.

An outlet conduit 66 is connected with an inclined bore 64 which communicates with the bore 50 through a passage 68. The outlet conduit 66 terminates in a coupler 70 for detachably connecting the outlet conduit with a device that is to be supplied with lubricant.

The valve has an operating lever 72 which is generally U-shaped in cross-section and which is connected with the valve body 10 by a pivot 74 extending transversely through the upper end of the valve body immediately to the rear of the bore 60.

A latching bar or rocker bar 76 is connected with the operating lever 72 by means of a transverse pivot 78. A U-shaped bracket 80 secured to the upper surface of the latching bar 76 is hooked around the front of the pivot 7S to form an elongated guide for the latching bar. The outer curved end of the bracket 80 forms an abutment which is engaged by the pivot 78 during opening movement of the operating lever. A coil spring S2, hooked between a spring ear 84 on the operating lever and an upwardly extending lug 86 on the U-shaped bracket 80, urges the bracket S0 rearwardly. The spring 82 tends to rotate the bracket clockwise and to urge the latching bar 76 into engagement with the upper end of the control plunger 49.

A spring 8S coiled around the outlet conduit is compressed between the valve body 10 and a retaining cup 90 which engages the operating lever 72. The spring 88 urges the operating lever in a clockwise direction.

The rear upper edge of the latching bar 76 normally engages a horizontal anchor ledge surface 92 on an adjustable fulcrum 94. The rear portion of the fulcrum 94 is slidably positioned in a horizontal bore 96 extending through the upper portion of the valve body 1). The fulcrum has a flat upper surface 97 which engages a complementary surface on the valve body to prevent rotation of the fulcrum 94 in the bore 96. A stem 9S extending from the rear of the fulcrum 94 is threaded into an adjusting screw 100 positioned in the bore 96 and enlarged at its rear end to form a knob 102. The adjusting screw 100 is rotatable in the bore 96 but is restrained against sliding movement by a pin 104 which engages an external groove in the adjusting screw. A spring washer 106 is positioned between the knob 102 and the valve body 10 to provide frictional resistance to rotation of the knob.

A setscrew 103 limits sliding movement 0f the fulcrum 94 in the bore 96 by engaging the opposite ends of an external groove 110 on the fulcrum. The fulcrum has rice - pressure by means of a hose, not shown.

a diagonal guide surface 112 which slopes upwardly and forwardly from the horizontal surface 92.

-An axial setscrew 114. extending .through the knob 102 provides an adjustable rear stop which is engageable with the stem 98 on the. fulcrum 94. The setscrew 114 is maintained in adjustment by a locknut 116.

In the operation of the control valve the 'inlet fitting 14 may be connected with a source of lubricant under Before the operating lever 72 is moved, the .ball 44 is retained on its seat 48 by lubricant pressure acting on the lower face of the ball and by the spring 40. Y

4. chargen because' the' latching bar 76v moves farther forward during the operation of the lever 72 before disengaging the fulcrum surface 92.

The snap action of the operating lever 72 described above insures accurate charge measurement when the valve is adjusted for delivering single shots. It is virtually impossible to unseat the valve ball 44 without. completing the movement of the lever 72 with a snap to disengage the latching bar from the fulcrum and thereby to close the valve.

The setscrew 114 provides an abutment for adjusting the rear extreme of movement of the fulcrum 94. The

Y charge of lubricant by limiting the minimum travel of I6v moves downwardly with. the pivot 78, but the rear upper edge of the latching bar fulcrums on the horizontal fulcrum surface 92. Consequently the latching bar 76 forces the plunger 48 downwardly against the resistance of the spring 54 to engage the ball .'44,

The force exerted on the lower Yface of' the 44 by'the high pressure lubricant in the inlet conduit 14 1 provides considerable resistance to unseating of the ball', and a relatively great force must be exerted on the lever 72 to open the valve. When the valve ball has beenrunseated, the inlet lubricant pressure is applied to all sides of the ball and the net force on the ball is greatly reduced. Consequently the movement of the lever is completed with a sudden snap. The lubricant flows around the ball through the bore 50 and the passage68 to the outletY conduit 66.

In Fig'. l the fulcrum 94 is adjusted to the front exdisengage the bar 76 from the surface 92.

VWhen arsingle charge of lubricant is to .be delivered in Y response to each operation ofthe operating lever 72, theV fulcrum 94 is moved rearwardly by turning the knob 102.

Y In Fig. 2 the fulcrum is shown adjusted to a position adjacent its rear extreme of movement. When the fulcrum is adjusted for delivery of a single charge, the valve ball 44 is disengagedv from its seat 48 bythe plunger 49 during the rst portion ofthe movement of the operating lever 72. When the'movement of the lever is completed with a snap, the operating lever pulls the latching bar 76 forwardly so that it disengages the horizontal fulcrum the latching bar 76 on the Afulcrum surface 92.

The valve has a long operating life'because those surfaces which slide on one another have large engaging areas to'.minimize wear. This' particularly applies to the rear upper surface of the latcliing bar 76 and the fulcrum surface 92. i

A particularly simple', rugged and compactY constructionv results from providingV an adjustable fulcrumy co operatingy with' a= movable latch which has Va nonadjust able relationship with the operating lever. Constructional complications are entirely absent from l,this combination; Y Y

While I have shown and described a preferred em-Ak of the invention. I therefore desire, by the following Y claims, to include within the scoperof the invention all such variations and modifications by which substantially the results of my inventiony may be obtained through thel use of substantially the same or equivalent means.

f I claim:

1. A hand valve for passingy fluid either in ldiscrete charges or in a continuous ow, comprising, inv combination; a valve body defining a passageway therethrough,VV a reciprocable member for controlling the flow` of fluid Y through the passageway', a fulcrum' member slidablyV mounted in` ther valve body nearV the outer end Vof the control member for movement forward and' away from the latter, the' fulcrum Ymember defining an anchor ledge.

at' one side ofthe control member, an'V operatingY lever pi'voted to the valve body and shaped to have a portion thereof'on'the side'ofI thel control member ,opposite from surface 92. The spring 54 pushes the plunger 49 upwardly and' the plunger carries. the bar 76 upwardly against the inclined surface 112 on the fulcrum 94 asV illustrated in Fig. 2. The upward movement of the plunger 49 permits the valve ball 44 to shut ol the ow of lubricant by engaging its seat 48.y The spring 82 urges theV latching bar 76 downwardly against thek top of the plunger 479V but the v.strength of the spring 82- is insufficientV` to move the plunger 49.

VVWhen the operating lever 72 is released, the spring 82 forces Ytherear upper edge ofthe latching bar 76 downwardly and rearwardly along the inclined Ysurface 112.

' During this movement'thepin 78 may move a short assumes its starting position as illustrated vin Fig. 1.

The size of the single charge of lubricantdelivered by f the Vvalve may be adjusted by changing the positionv of Y the fulcrum 94.

When the fulcrumV is adjusted to its rear extreme of movement asv illustrated in Fig. 2, the

Y charge has a minimum size. Moving the fulcrum forwardly by turning the knob 102 increases the size of the slidable'en'gagementwitlithe'anchorledge, means on` the Y n Y the anchor ledge'movable away from the latter4 as an incident to opening movementof the lever, aytransverseY pivotk member mountedY in saidleverportion', a rocker member(extendingtransversely across the outer end of tlre control member and: having one end adapted for rocker member defining an elongatedI guide slidably er1- gageablewith the pivotV member' and an abutment atthe-V end" of theY guide'remotejfromV the'anchor ledge positioned Y forengagementzwith the' pivot memberya spring interconnected withthe'frrocker'memberv for urging the latter toward the-fulcrum member toY anr extent limited by en'- gagementof theV abutment with the pivot member, fther rocker memberbeing eective to transmit opening movementof the'operating lever tothe control member until the rocker member isk pulledo thel anchor'ledge by the pivotmember acting on thev rocker member abutment, the rocker member and the fulcrum member being shaped to return the rocker member-` to slidable engagement with the anchor ledge under'the'force of said spring as an incident to return. movement of the operating lever,` and adjusting means interconnected:l between the`valve body and theA fulrum member for adjusting the Vlatter toward and Vaway from the control member to regulate charges or in a continuous ow, comprising, in combina# tion, a valve body defining a passageway therethrough, a reciprocable member for controlling the flow of uid through the passageway, a fulcrum member slidably mounted in the Valve body near the outer end of the control member for movement forward and away from the latter, the fulcrum member dening an anchor ledge at one side of the control member, an operating lever pivoted to the valve body and shaped to have a portion thereof on the side of the control member opposite from the anchor ledge movable away from the latter as an incident to opening movement of the lever, a rocker member extending transversely across the outer end of the control member and having one end adapted for slidable engagement with the anchor ledge, means pivoting the rocker member to said operating lever portion, a spring interconnected with the rocker member for urging the latter toward the anchor ledge to an extent limited by the pivotal connection between the rocker member and the operating lever, the rocker member being eiective to transmit opening movement of the operating lever to the control member until the rocker member is pulled olt the anchor ledge by the operating lever, the rocker member and the fulcrum member being shaped to return the rocker member to sli'dable engagement with the anchor ledge under the force of said spring as an incident to return movement of the operating lever, a first adjusting member on the fulcrum member, a second adjusting member threaded on the iirst adjusting member and rotatably connected to the valve body for moving the fulcrum member toward and away from the control member, and an abutment threaded into one of the adjusting members for engagement with the other adjusting member to limit outward movement of the fulcrum member, the outer end of the abutment being uncovered for convenient rotation.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,733,441 Barks Oct. 29, 1929 2,543,649 Wales et al Feb. 27, 1951 2,643,678 Paradise June 30, 1953 

